AT&T rural service improvements expected to affect Kansas

AT&T Inc.’s plan to invest $14 billion in improving its networks in rural areas is likely to come as good news to some Kansans.

AT&T announced last week its Project Velocity IP, a plan to enhance its wireless and wireline IP broadband networks over the next three years. CEO Randall Stephenson said in a news release about the project that it’s expected to bring high-speed Internet connectivity to millions more Americans, either through 4G LTE mobile service or through IP broadband service.

In a statement, AT&T Kansas President Steve Hahn described the project as an “unprecedented private capital investment in the IP infrastructure essential to both Kansas and our country’s future prosperity.”

About 75 percent of wireline locations are expected to receive a network expansion by 2015. Customers here are likely to see higher speeds, and some will see U-verse availability. U-verse is AT&T’s package of TV, Internet and voice-over-IP services.

AT&T says that in about 25 percent of wireline locations, it’s not economically feasible to build a competitive IP wireline network. The portions of the wireline territory left out of the improvements likely will include a good chunk of western Kansas (Page 38 of the presentation).

However, those missing out on the IP improvements could still see faster Internet via AT&T’s 4G LTE mobile network, which smartphones and other mobile devices plug into.

The company says it plans to ramp up its 4G LTE coverage so the mobile network is available to about 300 million people by the end of 2014. AT&T launched its 4G network in Wichita during the summer, and it’s also available in the Kansas City region and a few other portions of Kansas. According to the map on Page 42 of this presentation, though, the bulk of Kansas is estimated to be covered though the rural-region improvements, including nearly all of the western half of the state.